British Citizenship – Good Character Requirement FAQs

[TSO11]

Based on the discussion above this will be of interest...especially to those who have been waiting as long as i have (since the beginning of April, 2014).Your thoughts are as usual very much welcome

Prior to my application, i was on a 2 year spouse visa and ILR. Before the aforementioned i had left the country to regularise my stay after having overstayed

Following several unfruitful calls during the wait period to the call centre, my most recent call was bound to be rather fiery and it was. Anyways, 2 days later this is the response i received:

Dear XYZ

I am writing in regard to your outstanding application for British Citizenship,
We aim to process all applications within 6 months from the date submitted. However, in certain circumstances this target is not possible. Following our assessment of your case, unfortunately it appears your application will not be processed within the 6 months target.

Following recent clarification of the Nationality rules greater levels of scrutiny will he applied to certain applications. This will be dependent on certain indicators within their immigration history that pre-date the application for British citizenship. Your case has been identified as such a case and will not be decided within 6 months

We expect to make a decision on your application within the next 3 to 6 months but we will write to you again if this is not going, to be possible. Please note we will contact you with further updates and can advise you do not need to contact us again unless your circumstances change significantly.

Please do not contact the UKVI Contact Centre regarding the progress of your ease as they will not be able to provide any further information.
This also applies to any family members whose applications for citizenship were submitted at the same time.

Yours sincerely

I got the same letter today after waiting 7 months

I too got exactly the same reply today, a week back I got my local MP to chase my application. I guess its in response to that, I have been waiting for 7 months as well.

[biloxi26]

what is the background to your application....e.g. are there issues as regards your immigration history or otherwise?

We could at least try to establish a pattern and perhaps try to understand what they are up to

[Rahel1984]

what is the background to your application....e.g. are there issues as regards your immigration history or otherwise?

We could at least try to establish a pattern and perhaps try to understand what they are up to

Wot about you biloxi26?

[biloxi26]

As mentioned in my first post:

Prior to my application, i was on a 2 year spouse visa and ILR. Before the aforementioned i
left the country to regularise my stay after having overstayed for a few years

[kimak]

While i was in the UK, i had a company with three other partners which is now in liquidation. I left the UK prior to my visa expiring and now i am going to reapply as a spouse visa. May i know if liquidation, dissolved will affect my application and also if director is disqualified, will that affect spouse visa? Thanks

[Shekhar235]

Hi there
I have a question to ask if any one can help me with it will be greatly appreciated
I am applying for British citizenship next month on the basis of 5 years work permit and 1 year of indefinate leave to remain ,13 years back I had case on me back in my country about taking bad quality certificates to get in to uni which I never used any further , and I was underage in that period is well , as long as I know it went to court and since then I never heard of it till the date ,I got US visa since then couple of times with ought any hitch,after 6 years of working in US got 5 years visa to work in UK, then got German and croatian visa is well, did not had any issues to get my ILR approved as well as change of visa to Tier 2 couple of years back,
Just worried if there will be any issue if I apply for Citizenship at all after all this ?
Please if any one can help me with my query will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[zabizabi]

Hi there
I have a question to ask if any one can help me with it will be greatly appreciated
I am applying for British citizenship next month on the basis of 5 years work permit and 1 year of indefinate leave to remain ,13 years back I had case on me back in my country about taking bad quality certificates to get in to uni which I never used any further , and I was underage in that period is well , as long as I know it went to court and since then I never heard of it till the date ,I got US visa since then couple of times with ought any hitch,after 6 years of working in US got 5 years visa to work in UK, then got German and croatian visa is well, did not had any issues to get my ILR approved as well as change of visa to Tier 2 couple of years back,
Just worried if there will be any issue if I apply for Citizenship at all after all this ?
Please if any one can help me with my query will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

I think you are safe

[arfaisal]

Hi

Need advise as my application is due for Citizenship. My only issue is i mistakenly applied for child benefit allowance for my son in 2010 as i was on Tier 2 visa. However after realizing this mistake same year2010 informed HMRC to stop this payment and later after further corresspondence with HMRC deposited back all recived payment back to HMRC. Till my ILR i got 03 times extension for my Tier 2 visa and i always declared this issue in all my extension applications and never faced any issue from UKBA at the time of extensions or ILR. This new change in Citizenship requirements do i need to mention this issue in my application or i dont need as this was a geniune mistake and it will not cause any issue for my Citizenship application.

Kindly advise

Best Regards

arfaisal

[kayboy247]

Hello Am new here.

Am trying to apply for my citizenship and i was wondering if there is a Good Character Template Letter to follow? if so where can i get one or can someone please provide me one. I need to supply this to my referees so they know how it needs to be structured to meet UKba Standards

Thanks

[akhurshid]

Hello Am new here.

Am trying to apply for my citizenship and i was wondering if there is a Good Character Template Letter to follow? if so where can i get one or can someone please provide me one. I need to supply this to my referees so they know how it needs to be structured to meet UKba Standards

Thanks

Your referees have nothing to do with your character. All they are confirming is that you are who you say you are.
There is no template. Just read the AN guidance.

[naeemshahzad]

Dear friends.
i am going to apply naturalisation for my wife. She has few debts from 2010. We never paid it so still due. but she has,nt got any ccj. Do she still have to declare it or not.

[Allesheikh]

Hi everyone,

Please if anyone can help me on my case. I have applied for ILR on 10 years basis in August 2014 and still waiting for outcome. I had a caution in 2006 for fraud I was using my friends card in a shop and they knew my friend and thought I was misusing but my friend authorised me to use. Police arrested me and I admitted I was using my friends card. Later on he came to police station and collected his card. First they gave me bail and later caution was given.

I was also given a street warning in 2012. Both these things I didn't declare in my application as I thought I have to declare convictions and caution is not a conviction.

Please can anyone comment weather this will result in refusal and if so is there any chance of getting approval if appealed. Caution was long back but my street warning was in 2012.

Please I will really appreciate your help and response.

Thanks Ali

[Shekhar235]

Hi there
I have a question to ask if any one can help me with it will be greatly appreciated
I am applying for British citizenship next month on the basis of 5 years work permit and 1 year of indefinate leave to remain ,13 years back I had case on me back in my country about taking bad quality certificates to get in to uni which I never used any further , and I was underage in that period is well , as long as I know it went to court and since then I never heard of it till the date ,I got US visa since then couple of times with ought any hitch,after 6 years of working in US got 5 years visa to work in UK, then got German and croatian visa is well, did not had any issues to get my ILR approved as well as change of visa to Tier 2 couple of years back,
Just worried if there will be any issue if I apply for Citizenship at all after all this ?
Please if any one can help me with my query will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

I think you are safe

thanks zabizabi for reply , but you don't really sound very positive just don't want to take chances before being 100% positive

[navodwickra]

Hi everyone,

Please if anyone can help me on my case. I have applied for ILR on 10 years basis in August 2014 and still waiting for outcome. I had a caution in 2006 for fraud I was using my friends card in a shop and they knew my friend and thought I was misusing but my friend authorised me to use. Police arrested me and I admitted I was using my friends card. Later on he came to police station and collected his card. First they gave me bail and later caution was given.

I was also given a street warning in 2012. Both these things I didn't declare in my application as I thought I have to declare convictions and caution is not a conviction.

Please can anyone comment weather this will result in refusal and if so is there any chance of getting approval if appealed. Caution was long back but my street warning was in 2012.

Please I will really appreciate your help and response.


Thanks Ali

As far as I know you have to declare cautions. I was told this when I handed over my application to NCS.

[navodwickra]

Hi, First of all, I would like to thank all the contributors to this forum - I have always found it to be very informative and the contributors all very helpful.

Secondly, I would like some help with the Good Character Requirement. I am normally a person that is always on the side of the law wherever I am but misfortunes sometime follows.

Ok, my case - I will be eligible to apply for citizenship very soon. My problems started last week when I got a parking ticket (forgot my car and took a bus home), I paid the fines on time. Then in the same week fueled my car, forgot to pay for the fuel and drove off. I didn't remember until police came knocking on my door. Police advised me to go and pay, which I did instantly. I did ask them whether this is considered a criminal offence but they said as long as I paid back on time I shall be alright.

Could experienced contributors advise me on this case - have I breached the good character requirement? Shall I declare both of them in the application form and to the NCS?

Many Thanks to all.

Were you cautioned by the police? are there any points on your drivers licence? do you have any criminal convictions? have you ever overstayed your visas?

[t123456789]

The FAQ needs updating:

Q1 Custodial Sentences:
Imprisonment of up to 12 months = refusal for 7 years from the end of the sentence

should be:

Imprisonment of up to 12 months = refusal for 10 years from the end of the sentence

Source, Annex D 2.1, decisions on or after 11 December 2014

[imk1]

I am going to apply for citizenship. Can you please help me about the question 3.13.

3.13 Have you ever been charged in any country with a criminal offence for which you have not yet been tried in court?

I have been in road accident in 2014. Police was arrived on the location and took my and other drivers statements.
Later I received a Police letter saying that they asked the other driver to go for driving improvement course or face prosecution.
At last Police case was closed. No further investigation are required.

- Do I need to tick yes or No in question 3.13?
- Do I need to disclose the road accident information in the application form?

[akhurshid]

I am going to apply for citizenship. Can you please help me about the question 3.13.

3.13 Have you ever been charged in any country with a criminal offence for which you have not yet been tried in court?

I have been in road accident in 2014. Police was arrived on the location and took my and other drivers statements.
Later I received a Police letter saying that they asked the other driver to go for driving improvement course or face prosecution.
At last Police case was closed. No further investigation are required.

- Do I need to tick yes or No in question 3.13?
- Do I need to disclose the road accident information in the application form?

No and no

[Garbati]

Hi, First of all, I would like to thank all the contributors to this forum - I have always found it to be very informative and the contributors all very helpful.

Secondly, I would like some help with the Good Character Requirement. I am normally a person that is always on the side of the law wherever I am but misfortunes sometime follows.

Ok, my case - I will be eligible to apply for citizenship very soon. My problems started last week when I got a parking ticket (forgot my car and took a bus home), I paid the fines on time. Then in the same week fueled my car, forgot to pay for the fuel and drove off. I didn't remember until police came knocking on my door. Police advised me to go and pay, which I did instantly. I did ask them whether this is considered a criminal offence but they said as long as I paid back on time I shall be alright.

Could experienced contributors advise me on this case - have I breached the good character requirement? Shall I declare both of them in the application form and to the NCS?

Many Thanks to all.

Were you cautioned by the police? are there any points on your drivers licence? do you have any criminal convictions? have you ever overstayed your visas?

I am not really sure if that constitute caution or not - I was just asked to go back and pay for the fuel. No form to sign or anything.

I don't have any point on my driver's licence and no any criminal conviction.

Never over stayed my visa. However, when I applied to renew my visa it took long to get it approved by the HO and by then my visa has expired but I don't think that can be classed as overstay as I had a valid visa when I applied for renewal.

[skilachi]

Hello,
I am due to apply for UK citizenship in February 2015. I have driving offence LC20 3 points on license and 40 pound fine in court because I was driving on international license in september 2012. I went to court in December 2012. Its been more than 2 years.

I understand that 3 years must pass for this to be spent. However, it is a non custodial offence and can the caseworker use discretion because I have had nothing since. Also as it is an international license, this had to be dealt with in court, unlike other FPNs.

Thank you

@ahmad1234....you will have to wait 3yrs to clear before you can apply. Once it's been dealt in a court, for citizenship, 3yrs have to have passed before you can make application and also you will need to declare the offence on your application.

I will not advise you risk it thinking the case worker use discretion....infact it will even make it easier for caseworker as its a straight refusal. So just relax and wait December 2015 and apply then you dont have to worry as long as you dont have any other before then.

I've waited 3yrs (well going to be 3yrs in Aug 2015) for me to apply for citizenship too.

[Shekhar235]

Hi there
I have a question to ask if any one can help me with it will be greatly appreciated
I am applying for British citizenship next month on the basis of 5 years work permit and 1 year of indefinate leave to remain ,13 years back I had case on me back in my country about taking bad quality certificates to get in to uni which I never used any further , and I was underage in that period is well , as long as I know it went to court and since then I never heard of it till the date ,I got US visa since then couple of times with ought any hitch,after 6 years of working in US got 5 years visa to work in UK, then got German and croatian visa is well, did not had any issues to get my ILR approved as well as change of visa to Tier 2 couple of years back,
Just worried if there will be any issue if I apply for Citizenship at all after all this ?
Please if any one can help me with my query will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

I think you are safe

[Shekhar235]

Thanks for reply zabizabi
You don't sound really positive just don't want to take any chances but you gave me a bit of confidence just want to make sure that I won't be in trouble
Thanks

[Shekhar235]

Thanks for reply zabizabi
You don't sound really positive just don't want to take any chances but you gave me a bit of confidence just want to make sure that I won't be in trouble
Thanks

[khaledadda]

Hi Amber,
Could you please advice me on this matter,

First I came to UK on 6 months visitor visa Oct 2003, overstayed my visa, in 2010 got permission to get married from home office, end of 2010 left the UK voluntary back to my country and applied for entry clearance as spouse of British citizen first got refused then after appeals got the 27 month spouse visa on July 2012, june 2014 applied for ILR same day service and was approved ,

Now my question will my previous overstaying visa affect my nuturalisation as I will be applying next July ,

Many thanks

[March_LR14]

Hi,

Can someone help with the new clause of good character requirement below:

9.6 Assisting Illegal Migration
The decision maker will normally refuse an application if there are grounds for believing that the person is currently, or has previously been, involved in an attempt to assist someone in the evasion of immigration control. This includes a person whose spouse’s/civil partner’s recent application for entry clearance has been refused on relationship grounds.

My friend's wife has overstayed her previous leave by 8 months and only have recently made FLR FP application. he is due for his naturalisation in july this year. Does the above clause means he fails good character requirment?

Thanks in advance for any valuable advice.